This week in Taylor Crescent, Bridgewater, Centacare Evolve Housing (CEH) is not only celebrating tenants moving in to their new homes, but we’re also celebrating a housing milestone for the Bridgewater community.

The 27 new two- and three-bedroom homes in Taylor Crescent are the final dwellings of 152 new and refurbished homes delivered for people on low incomes through the Stock Leverage Program.

Taylor Crescent is unique in other ways too. Usually developments of this scale would form part of a complex where the houses are grouped together as units, but in this case they are all separate single and two-story houses with car accommodation, creating great street appeal as well as offering housing that will suit families with different needs.

“Six months ago it was a large parcel of vacant land. Moving forward six months, it’s like a pop-up subdivision of 27 houses in a row, each with their own individual yard,” said Centacare Evolve Tasmania Housing Project Manager, Sarah Henley.

Two-thirds of these homes are ‘adaptable housing’ which means they can be easily made to suit people with limited mobility.

“For example, in the bathrooms there are shower screens fitted now, but these can easily be replaced with shower curtains for those who need easier access,” said Sarah.

Construction of the homes began in September 2019, and were built by SJM Property Developments and Lyden Builders. Civil works were completed by Spectran. The homes will be fully tenanted by the end of April and will be managed by Centacare Evolve Housing. Seven of the properties in Taylor Crescent will be listed with 4one4 Real Estate for sale in the coming weeks.

The Stock Leverage Program is an initiative of the Tasmanian Government’s Affordable Housing Strategy. It has been running for several years encouraging Community Housing Providers, such as Centacare Evolve Housing, to construct or refurbish dwellings by leveraging the security provided by existing social housing stock. The program delivered new dwellings and upgraded existing houses to the supply of social and affordable housing in Tasmania, as well as providing streetscape and environment enhancements that improved the quality of life for local residents and the community.

The Taylor Crescent development is part of the Bridgewater, Gagebrook and Herdsmans Cove Master Plan developed in partnership with Brighton Council as part of the Better Housing Futures program.

“It has been a significant journey to get to this point, but an amazing outcome for CEH, with the delivery of over 150 new and refurbished dwellings and the title transfer of 300 existing dwellings. This milestone, will now trigger the final 30 title transfers to CEH along with the release of funds held in Trust for the five sales of existing stock that occurred last year,” said Ben Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, Centacare Evolve Housing.

Whilst completing this project is a milestone, Centacare Evolve Housing’s building program continues unabated in Herdsman’s Cove, Gagebrook and Bridgewater. Housing complexes in Gage Road and Gunn Street are due for completion in May.